This application relates to a unique mounting apparatus for securing automobile components, such as sun visor pivot rod to a vehicle roof.
When driving a vehicle it is desirable to shield an occupant's eyes from glaring sunlight which enters the vehicle interior through the windshield or the side windows. As a result, the interior of vehicles is usually equipped with sun visors.
Visors typically include a visor body and a pivot rod assembly. The pivot rod assembly includes a L-shaped pivot rod, a torque control and a means for mounting the rod to the vehicle roof and/or headliner. The torque control rotationally mounts the visor body to the pivot rod. The torque control allows the visor body to be moved between and held at various rotational positions with respect to the rod. This allows the visor to be moved between a lowered position adjacent the windshield or side window to a raised position adjacent the roof and/or headliner.
Since the sun may enter the windshield or side window the rod mount should allow the visor to be pivoted between the windshield and the side window in the lowered position. A number of methods have been proposed for mounting the pivot rods to the roof and/or headliner. One known way is the snap-in type of mount. This type of mount is the easiest and quickest to install, since it is simply snap-fit within a hole in the roof and/or headliner, usually with the pivot rod attached prior to installation. This type of mount is also inexpensive to manufacture.
Many current snap-in mounts can be damaged or broken as the sun visor rod and mount are snapped into place. Additionally, the sun visor and mounts are not very stable due to low pull-out forces. Therefore it is desirable to have a snap-in mount with increased pull-out force for improved stability and robustness that is easy to assemble onto a pivot rod assembly and install on a vehicle.